Tuesday, 19 November 2013

Pan

Pan

Pan was the god of shepherds and flocks, of mountain, wilds, hunting,
and rustic music. In Greek mythology Pan was usually said to be son of
Hermes by the daughter of Dryops, or by Thymbris or by Penelope, and in
some versions son of Zeus. Pan wandered the hills and mountain of
Arkadia playing his pan-pipes and chasing Nymphs.

Pan with Nymphs

His unseen presence
aroused feelings of panic in men passing through the remote, lonely
places of the wilds. Pan was often represented as a vigorous and
lustful figure with the horns, legs, and ears of a goat. Pan was lover
of nymphs, and nymphs commonly fled from his advances. Syrinx ran away
from Pan advances and was transformed into a clump of reeds, out of
which Pan crafted his famous pan-pipes. Some Christian depictions of the
devil bear a striking resemblance to Pan. Pan could inspire irrational
terror in humans, and the word 'panic' came from his name.